fire. And the chief priests | strike him with the palms of and all the council_ sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none. For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together. And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying, We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands. But neither so did their witness agree together. And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing what is it which these witness against thee But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am; and ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses? ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all their hands. And as Peter was beneath in the palace there cometh one of the maids of the high priest; and when she saw Peter warming himself she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth. But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew. And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them. And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them; for thou art a Galilean, and thy speech agreeth thereto. he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak. And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept. But Tuesday before Easter. For the Epistle. Isaiah 1. 5. HE Lord God hath condemned him to be guilty Topened mine ear, and of death. And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy and the servants did I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid | And he answering said unto not my face from shame and spitting. For the Lord God will help me, therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? Let us stand together; who is mine adversary? let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord God will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? Lo, they all shall wax old as a garment: the moth shall eat them up. Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the Name of the Lord, and stay upon his God. Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks; walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand, ye shall lie down in sorrow. The Gospel. St. Mark xv. 1. A priests ND straightway in the held a consultation with the elders, and scribes, and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him to Pilate. And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? him, Thou sayest it. And the chief priests accused him of many things: but he answered nothing. And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they witness against thee. But Jesus yet answered nothing: so that Pilate marvelled. Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired. And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection. And the multitude, crying aloud, began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them. But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy. But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them. And Pilate answered, and said again unto them, What will ye then whom ye call the King of the Jews? And they cried out again, Crucify him. Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him. And so Pilate, willing to content | KING OF THE JEWS. the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified. And the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Prætorium; and they call together the whole band. And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head: and began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews. And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him. And when they had mocked him they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him. And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross. And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, The place of a scull. And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh; but he received it not. And when they had crucified him they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take. And it was the third hour, and they crucified him. And the superscription of his accusation was written over, THE And with him they crucify two thieves, the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors. And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself, and come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves, with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save. Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him. And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias. And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down. And Jesus | fore necessary that the pat cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. And the vail of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God. WHE terns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; nor yet that he Wednesday before Easter. should offer himself often, as The Epistle. Hebrews ix. 16. the high priest entereth into HERE a testament is, the holy place every year there must also of ne- with blood of others: for cessity be the death of the then must he often have suftestator: for a testament is fered since the foundation of of force after men are dead; the world; but now once in otherwise it is of no strength the end of the world hath he at all whilst the testator liv- appeared to put away sin by eth. Whereupon, neither the the sacrifice of himself. And first testament was dedicated as it is appointed unto men without blood: for when once to die, but after this the Moses had spoken every pre-judgement: so Christ was cept to all the people, ac- once offered to bear the sins cording to the law, he took of many; and unto them that the blood of calves and of look for him shall he appear goats, with water, and scar- the second time without sin let wool, and hyssop, and unto salvation. sprinkled both the book, and all the people, saying, This is the blood of the testament; which God hath enjoined Moreover, he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. It was there unto you. The Gospel. St. Luke xxii. 1. TOW ened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover. And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people. Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. And he went his way, and com- I will not any more eat theremuned with the chief priests of, until it be fulfilled in the and captains, how he might Kingdom of God. And he betray him unto them. And took the cup, and gave they were glad, and cove- thanks, and said, Take this, nanted to give him money. and divide it among yourAnd he promised, and sought selves. For I say unto you, opportunity to betray him I will not drink of the fruit unto them in the absence of of the vine, until the Kingthe multitude. Then came dom of God shall come. And the day of unleavened bread, he took bread, and gave when the passover must be thanks, and brake it, and killed. And he sent Peter gave unto them, saying, This and John, saying, Go and is my body, which is given prepare us the passover, that for you: this do in rememwe may eat. And they said brance of me. Likewise also unto him, Where wilt thou the cup after supper, saying, that we prepare? And he This cup is the new testasaid unto them, Behold, when ment in my blood, which is ye are entered into the city, shed for you. But behold, there shall a man meet you, the hand of him that betraybearing a pitcher of water; eth me is with me on the follow him into the house table. And truly the Son of where he entereth in. Man goeth as it was deterye shall say unto_the_good-mined; but wo unto that man of the house, The Master man by whom he is betrayed. saith unto thee, Where is the And they began to enquire guest-chamber, where I shall among themselves, which of eat the passover with my dis- them it was that should do ciples? And he shall shew this thing. And there was you a large upper-room fur- also a strife among them, nished; there make ready. which of them should be And they went, and found as accounted the greatest. And he had said unto them: and he said unto them, The they made ready the pass-kings of the Gentiles exover. And when the hour ercise lordship over them, was come he sat down, and and they that exercise authothe twelve Apostles with him. rity upon them are called beAnd he said unto them, With nefactors. But ye shall not desire I have desired to eat be so: but he that is greatthis passover with you before est among you, let him be as I suffer: for I say unto you, the younger; and he that is And |